The Kansas Accessibility Manual

HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.

Aug. 23, 2021 THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

The Kansas Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer and Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment of All Students was developed as a guidance document by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). It is not an official statement of policy or procedure. If any portion of this document conflicts with law or regulation, the law or regulation takes precedence. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position of the United States Department of Education, and no endorsement by the United States Department of Education should be inferred.

Please contact our team if you have questions on Kansas assessments or assessment accommodations:

Phone: Assessment Coordinator: Address: • (800) 203-9462 Julie Ewing KSDE • (785) 296-7454 (785) 296-4349 Special Education and Title [email protected] Services Fax: 900 SW Jackson St., Suite 102 • (785) 291-3791 Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) Topeka, KS 66612-1212 and Accommodations: Website: Cary Rogers https://www.ksde.org/Agency/ (785) 296-0916 Division-of-Learning-Services/ [email protected] Career-Standards-and- Assessment-Services/CSAS- Home/Assessments

The Kansas Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of CCSSO Accessibility Supports for Instruction and the Assessment of All Students (2020) One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, is revised from the CCSSO Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer, Suite 700 and Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment Washington, DC 20001-1431 of All Students . The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a Phone: (202) 336-7000 nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the Fax: (202) 408-8072 District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and www.ccsso.org five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.

Assessing Special Education Students State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (ASES SCASS) English Language Learners State Col- laborative on Assessment and Student Standards (ELL SCASS) Lazarus, S., Goldstone, L., Wheeler, T., Paul, J., Prestridge, S., Sharp, T., Hochstetter, A., and Warren, S. (2020). CCSSO Accessibility Manual: How to select, administer, and evaluate use of accessibility supports for instruction and assessment of all students. Washington, DC: CCSSO.

Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS Contents

STRUCTURE OF THIS DOCUMENT ______1

Section I: Background______1

Intended Audience and Recommended Use______2

Recognizing Accessibility Needs for All Students______4

Section II: 3-tiered Approach to Accessibility ______5

Universal Features______5

Designated Features______5

Accommodations______6

Section III: Five-Step Decision-Making Process______7

Step 1: Expect students to Achieve Grade-Level Standards______7

Step 2: Learn About Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment ��9

Step 3: Select Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment______13

Step 4: Administer Accessibility Supports During Instruction and Assessment ��17

Step 5: Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports in Instruction and Assessment ��19

TOOLS______21

Tool 1: Three-Tiered Approach to Accessibility______21

Tool 2: Questions to Ask When Selecting Accessibility Supports______22

Tool 3: Accessibility Supports from the Student’s Perspective______23

Tool 4: Parent input on Accessibility______24

Tool 5: Accessibility Selection Questions for Teams______25

Tool 6: Accessibility Supports in the Classroom Questions for Teams______27

Tool 7: After-test Accessibility Questions for Teacher-Student Discussion______28 Tool 8: Questions to Guide Evaluation of the Use of Accessibility Supports at the School or District Level______29

Tool 9: Questions to Guide Formative Evaluation at the Student Level______30 Tool 10: Team Evaluation of Classroom Accessibility Features and Accommodations______31

Tool 11: Five-Step Decision-Making Process______32

APPENDICES______33

Appendix A: Federal Laws______34

Appendix B: Glossary of Terms and Acronyms______38

Section I: Background.

Section II: The three-tiered approach to accessibility.

Section III: The five-step decision-making process.

Tools: Tools that educational stakeholders can use to make instructional and assessment content more accessible for all students.

Appendices: Details on federal laws, universal features, designated features, accommodations, and glossary of terms and acronyms.

SECTION I: Background

The Kansas Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer and Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports for Instruction and the Assessment of All Students establishes guidelines to use for the selection, administration and evaluation of accessibility supports for instruction and assessment of all students, including students with disabilities, English learners (ELs), ELs with disabilities and students without an identified disability or EL status. Accessibility supports discussed herein include both embedded (digitally-provided) and nonembedded (nondigitally or locally provided) universal features that are available to all students as they access instructional or assessment content, designated features that are available for those students for whom the need has been identified by an informed educator or team of educators, and accommodations that are generally available for students for whom there is documentation on an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 or ILP. Approaches to these supports may vary depending on assessment contexts as well as nature of assessments.

The Kansas Accessibility Manual: How to Select, Administer and Evaluate Use of Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment of All Students represents the most current understanding of best practices up to the point of publication. As understanding and research continue to grow around the effective education of all students, this manual will be updated periodically to reflect major shifts in understanding around accessibility.

Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org 1 Structure of this Document THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS Intended Audience and Recommended Use

The Kansas Accessibility Manual: How to Select, The manual emphasizes an individualized Administer and Evaluate Use of Accessibility approach to the implementation of accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment of All practices. It recognizes the critical connection Students is intended for: between accessibility supports (features and • General, English Learner (EL), and special accommodations) in instruction and during education teachers (e.g., used to find and assessments, as well as the iterative nature evaluate instructional and assessment of reevaluating decisions for more informed supports for their students). decision making as contexts and student needs • School and test administrators, school evolve. coordinators and related services personnel This manual presents a three-tier accessibility (e.g., aid in the effective selection and framework (see Figure 1, Tool 1) of administration of assessment accessibility supports for each student). universal features, designated features and accommodations with an understanding that • Assessment staff and administrators states and other entities may employ different (e.g., provide guidance to teachers, test terms for the three tiers. It is important to administrators, parents, etc., on options keep in mind that the same accessibility and limitations around specific accessibility supports). supports may be considered universal in one assessment and designated as an • Parents (e.g., this information may serve accommodation in another. This difference as a tool when advocating for accessibility usually depends on the construct that is the supports and review processes for their student). focus of the assessment or instruction. For example, on an English language proficiency (ELP) assessment, some test items for all ELs might contain a text-to-speech support. Thus, what might be a specific EL support on a content assessment might be part of the default test format on an ELP assessment. Additionally, some accessibility supports allowable on content assessments may be prohibited on ELP or alternate assessments, or vice versa. This manual also includes considerations for students who participate in alternate assessments to assist educators with the process of including this population of students in meaningful educational experiences. The framework is to provide a general understanding of the accessibility supports to consider for instruction in relation to any assessment for the decision-making process.

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Figure 1. 3-tier Accessibility Framework

Tier 1: Universal Features For all students

Tier 2: Designated Features For some students

Tier 3: Accommodations IEP / 504 Plan / EL Plan

Embedded Non-Embedded

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This manual outlines a five-step decision-making process for administering accessibility supports. Figure 2 highlights the five steps of the process.

Figure 2. 5-Step Decision-Making Process for Administering Accessibility Supports

Recognizing Accessibility Needs for All Students

In the context of new technology-based instruction and assessments, a range of accessibility supports are available to meet their individualized student needs and preferences. These new individualized supports place greater responsibility on educator teams and individuals to make informed decisions about which students need and should receive specific supports among a variety of accessibility choices. Even those features that are universally available for all students may need to be turned off for some students if they have proven to be distracting. Educators need to ensure that students have ample opportunity to practice using accessibility supports or accessing assessment content with only the specified supports that will be available to the student. Accommodation policies for nonstate-run assessments (e.g., ACT) may be developed by the test publishers. Users must adhere to those administration and accommodation policies.

High-Incidence Accommodations, Local Arrangements, and Accessibility Supports on the ACT Test for State Testing and District Testing1

NWEA Accessibility and Accommodations Features and FAQ (MAP) 2

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This section highlights the three-tiered approach to accessibility currently employed by many states: universal features, designated features and accommodations. Educators should be mindful that other terms sometimes are used to describe these three tiers (e.g., universal tools, features for all students). It is important to note that certain accessibility supports may belong to different tiers or be prohibited depending on state policies and instructional/assessment implications.

Universal Features

Universal features are accessibility supports that are available to all students as they access instructional or assessment content. They are either embedded and provided digitally through instructional or assessment technology (e.g., answer choice eliminator), or nonembedded and provided nondigitally at the local level (e.g., scratch paper). Tools and Accommodations for the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) includes universal features currently used on Kansas state assessments as well as their descriptions and recommendations for use.

Making Decisions About Universal Features Although universal features are available to all students, educators and students may determine that one or more features serve as a distraction and thus decide the feature should be turned off in certain circumstances. Educators need to ensure the appropriate nonembedded universal features are available to meet individual student needs.

Designated Features

Designated features are available for use by any student for whom the need has been indicated by an educator (or team of educators including the parents/guardians and the student if appropriate) who is familiar with the student’s characteristics and needs. Embedded designated features (e.g., dictionary) are provided digitally through instructional or assessment technology, while nonembedded designated features (e.g., abacus) are provided locally. Designated features must be assigned using a consistent process. Tools and Accommodations for the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) includes designated features currently used on Kansas state assessments as well as their descriptions and recommendations for use.

Making Decisions About Designated Features Educators and teams (Individualized Education Program (IEP), 504, or EL), including the student and parents/guardians who are familiar with the student’s characteristics and needs, should make decisions about designated features. The Five-Step Decision-Making Process may be used, and all decisions should reflect those supports that the student requires and uses during instruction and for assessments.

Teams might use the PNP planning tool, or other similar tools, to document which designated features and accommodations, if applicable, need to be made available to designated students.

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Accommodations

Accommodations are available to students whose IEP, Section 504 plan, ILP or student improvement plan outlines the need. Accommodations are changes in procedures or materials that ensure equitable access to instructional and assessment content and support valid assessment results for students who require them. They do not reduce expectations for learning. Embedded accommodations (e.g., closed captioning) are provided digitally through instructional or assessment technology, while nonembedded accommodations (e.g., scribe) are provided locally. Tools and Accommodations for the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) includes accommodation features currently used on Kansas state assessments as well as their descriptions and recommendations for use.

Making Decisions About Designated Features Educators on a student’s 504, IEP, and/or EL teams, along with parents and the student (if appropriate), make decisions about accommodations. For ELs with disabilities, for example, all teams should come together to provide evidence of the need for accommodations and ensure the needs are noted on the IEP, EL plan and/or 504 plan. A representative from the team should enter information regarding accessibility features and accommodations from the IEP, 504 plan or EL plan into the planning tool ensuring that all needed features and accommodations can be activated for the student. Decisions about tools, supports and accommodations should be part of district, school or classroom processes that prioritize student needs and ensure equity of accessibility for all students.

Print Disabilities: The Consideration for Accommodations3

Tools and Accommodations for the Kansas Assessment Program 4

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SECTION III: Five-Step Decision-Making Process

This section describes a five-step process that can be used to make optimal accessibility decisions for students who need accessibility supports for instruction and assessment. The five steps are as follows:

Step 1: EXPECT students to Achieve Grade-level Standards. Step 2:N LEAR about accessibility supports for instruction and assessment. Step 3: SELECT accessibility supports for instruction and assessment. Step 4: ADMINISTER accessibility supports during instruction and assessment. Step 5: EVALUATE use of accessibility supports in instruction and assessment.

Step 1: EXPECT students to Achieve Grade-Level Standards

Academic standards are educational targets To accomplish the goal of equal access in outlining what all students are expected to education, every educator must: master at each grade level. The expectation • Know and instruct grade-level standards. of students achieving grade-level standards • Be familiar with individual student needs and is reiterated in laws, legal cases, and federal supports to provide access. guidelines that require all students be administered assessments intended to • Collaborate with one another, other educational stakeholders, and parents for hold schools accountable for the academic successful student access. performance of all students. To provide equal access to grade-level content, some students • Be familiar with accountability systems at the are provided accessibility supports during state and district level. instruction and assessment. All students can work toward mastery of grade- Individual educators or teams of educators level standards, including English language who are familiar with characteristics and needs proficiency and should be expected to achieve of students, along with parents or guardians these standards when the following conditions (and students as appropriate), should make are met: instructional and assessment decisions 1. C ollaboration between special education that prioritize access to grade-level content. teachers, English language teachers and Educators are responsible for developing, general education teachers results in implementing, and improving accessibility grade-level differentiated instruction for the practices for students. Educators serving in diverse/specific population of students they the following roles may be involved in making are serving. accessibility decisions: 2. Individualized approaches to instruction • Special education teachers, IEP or 504 Plan and assessment are used, and individualized committee representatives, and related plans are developed for students who need service providers. them. • English language educators and facilitators 3. Appropriate accessibility supports are • Assessment officials (test administrators, test provided to ensure all students can access coordinators, guidance counselors). instructional and assessment content. • General education teachers (classroom/ content teachers). • School administrators (principals, school/ district officials).

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Including All Students in State Equal Access to Grade-Level Content Assessment Systems All educators must be familiar with current Federal law and guidance, legal cases, and standards and accountability systems at the most state laws require that all students district and state levels. This knowledge frames be administered assessments intended to a context in which educators are required hold schools accountable for the academic by law to ensure that all students, including performance of students. Educators must students with disabilities, ELs and ELs with actively engage in a planning process that disabilities, work toward grade-level academic addresses: content standards; even as ELs are improving their English proficiency. The goal is to provide • Implementation of accessibility supports to facilitate universal student access to grade- meaningful differentiated instruction of grade- level instruction and assessments level content for diverse students through the selection of appropriate accommodations and • Use of alternate assessments to assess continual collaboration between EL educators, the achievement of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities special educators, and their general education counterparts. • Equitable access to grade-level instruction and English language development services To aid in the goal of equal access to grade- for all EL students. level content, accessibility supports and • Inclusion of ELs in both academic and accommodations must be provided for English language proficiency assessments. students during both instruction and assessment. Accommodations should be Federal and State Laws, Legal Cases used consistently throughout the year in and Federal Guidance Requiring order for accommodations to be used during Student Participation state assessments. Only supports utilized throughout instruction should be selected for To effectively support all students in the use in assessments. classroom, educators should be familiar with federal and state laws, current guidelines and Current Practice and Beyond legal cases that regulate student participation in the educational processes. Several important Supported by ongoing educational reform laws require the participation of these students efforts and other initiatives passed by states, in standards-based instruction and assessment. the use of assessments for accountability Some laws solely address students with purposes will likely continue in the future. disabilities; others regulate educational policies and practices exclusively for ELs. Both sets of laws affect the instruction and assessment of ELs with disabilities. Appendix A highlights federal laws and federal guidance regulating student participation in educational processes.

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Step 2: LEAN R About Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment

With the evolving development of technology familiar with the supports provided on the used in instruction and assessment, it is assessment so students are not using these important to learn about supports: tools for the first time on test day. • Find and review your state’s policies It is critical that educators are familiar with about appropriate use of supports during state policies about the appropriate use of assessments. accessibility supports during assessments. In • Understand the application of Universal the age of technology-mediated educational Design Principles to instruction and practices, accessibility supports facilitate assessment. instruction and assessment of students • Find and review your state’s policies on effectively when they are appropriately administrative considerations for state selected, used and evaluated for continued assessments. effectiveness.

Current technology enables computer- For some individuals, use of accessibility based accessibility supports to facilitate supports may not begin and end in the school individualized educational processes. The setting. Students may utilize similar supports in purpose is to reduce or eliminate the effects the library or at home for reading or completing of students’ disabilities that prevent them homework. As students become more from demonstrating what they know and can proficient in areas such as grade-level content do. For a student with a reading disability, a or English proficiency, their need for some necessary support may be read aloud or text accessibility supports may decrease. However, to speech to provide access to grade level text all accessibility supports for instruction and when the instructional objective is focused on assessment are integrally intertwined and comprehension. Read aloud or text to speech should be treated as such. would not be an appropriate support when the learning target is decoding text. Accessibility When determining accessibility supports supports provided in the classroom do not for state assessments, it is important to reduce expectations for learning. Accessibility remember that ELP, content area and alternate supports empower students with a assessments measure different construct multitude of choices, enabling them to knowledge, skills and abilities. For example, a access instructional and assessment content math content area assessment may allow for effectively. translation into another language. However, an English language proficiency assessment may Accessibility supports provided to a student not. Therefore, different accessibility supports during state assessments must also be may be necessary for each assessment. To provided during classroom instruction, stay informed, educators should continually classroom assessments and district research new and existing accessibility support assessments. However, some instructional options. accessibility supports may not be appropriate for use on certain statewide assessments. In Meaningful collaboration around instruction other cases, accessibility supports provided and accessibility supports among classroom on assessments may be slightly different from teachers, special education teachers, EL those provided in the classroom (e.g., digital teachers, school administrators, assessment note taking on an assessment). It is important officials, parents, and students will ensure more that educators help students become effective instruction and assessment.

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Universal Design Implications Administrative Considerations for Instruction and Assessment Universal design principles improve access to instruction and assessments for all students. Some administrative resources and strategies, Some formats and methods of presenting such as scheduling teaching and testing at the content unknowingly inhibit students from fully time most beneficial to a student, should be demonstrating what they know and can do and allowed for all students, and therefore often universal design principles help combat this. In are not classified as accessibility features contrast to retrofitting, these principles should or accommodations. These administrative be applied and integrated consistently during considerations are often addressed in a test the initial development of instructional and administration manual and should be used assessment materials. The following principles whenever possible for all students. of universal design are important for planning Assessment Resources for the KAP and and developing accessible materials: KELPA: • Inclusion of diverse student populations. KAP5 website. • Precisely defined instructional and 6 assessment constructs. KELPA information is available on the KAP website. • Maximally accessible, nonbiased content. • Compatibility with accommodations. DLM resources: • Simple, clear and intuitive instructions and DLM Kansas 7 webpage. procedures. KSDE DLM and Essential Elements8 webpage. • Maximum readability, comprehensibility and legibility.

Universal design is not synonymous with computer-based instruction nor online assessments. However, with increased technology capabilities and availability, practices around accommodations and universal design may change. Traditionally, universal design comes first, and accommodations are applied during instruction and assessment as needed. Today, some accommodations are embedded into the design and may be included in the online delivery of instructional and assessment content. This dynamic allows for more universal or designated features to be available as accessibility options for a greater number of students.

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Modifications in Instruction and instruction, students and parents must be Assessment made aware that these modifications will not be provided on the state assessments. Please Accessibility supports meet specific student note, when students do not have access to needs and enable their work to be a more valid critical, assessed content, they are at risk for measure of what the student knows and can do. not meeting state requirements. Providing a Accessibility supports do not reduce or change modification during a state accountability learning expectations or standards. assessment constitutes a test irregularity, Modificationsrefer to practices or materials invalidates test scores, and results in an that change, lower, or reduce state-required investigation of the school’s or district’s learning expectations. Modifications may testing practices by the state. change the underlying construct of an KSDE Assessments webpage 4 assessment. Examples of modifications include: • Requiring a student to learn less material Kansas Assement Program (KAP) (e.g.., Fewer objectives) Resources and Training - Assessment Resources 9 • Reducing or revising assignments and assessments (e.g.., Only complete the easiest questions, remove some of the Instructional Accessibility Supports answer options) Optimizing the student’s educational • Using an accessibility support that experiences relies upon educators meeting invalidates the intended construct regularly to coordinate instructional approaches • Giving a student hints or clues to the correct for the student and familiarizing themselves responses on assignments and assessments with state policies. Educators should consider: • Student characteristics and needs. Providing modifications during classroom instruction and classroom assessments may • Criteria for the student to demonstrate reduce the opportunity to learn critical content grade-level proficiency of state standards. and create unintended inequities. Nevertheless, • Consistency between accessibility supports if modifications are deemed necessary in for instruction and for assessments.

Four questions educators should ask:

1. What are the student’s specific instructional and assessment needs? 2. How does the student access to curriculum, instruction, and assessment support the goal of developing student independence? 3. Is there a universal feature the student should not have? 4. Does the student need any designated features or accommodations?

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The student may not be receiving a needed for dually identified students should be accessibility support or may be receiving too approached with both their English language many. More is not necessarily better. Providing needs and disability needs considered. students with unnecessary accessibility For example, IEP team members for ELs supports may negatively impact student with disabilities should make individualized performance. A better approach is to focus on accessibility decisions based on the specific the student’s identified needs within the general language- and disability-related challenges faced education curriculum. by each student (See Figure 3). It is critical to recognize that a student’s needs are not static, One size does not fit all with accessibility but n lie o a continuum. Accessibility supports for supports. To ensure all students are engaged a student may change as a student’s disability- in grade-level instruction, educators should related or English language needs change. consider individual needs and characteristics when making accessibility decisions. Supports

Figure 3. English Language and Disability-related Needs Affecting Accessibility Decisions

High disability-related needs

High

Disability- related needs Categories included in this figure are based on Shyyan, Christensen, Touchette, Low English High Lightborne, Gholson, and Burton, English 2013. Accommodations manual: language English language Low High language How to select, administer, and needs needs needs evaluate use of accommodations for instruction and assessment of English language learners with disabilities. Washington, DC: CCSSO.

Low

Low disability-related needs

This approach aims to reiterate that educators should fully account for the complexity of both language and disability implications during the instruction and assessment of ELs with disabilities.

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Step 3: SELECT Accessibility Supports for Instruction and Assessment Effective decision-making around the provision Documenting Accessibility Supports of appropriate accessibility supports begins for All Students with appropriate instructional decisions. In turn, To ensure continuous monitoring and optimal instructional decisions are facilitated improvement of accessibility approaches, by gathering and reviewing reliable information educators should both review notes from other about the student’s access needs, disability, educators and document how students use English language proficiency, and present level of accessibility supports (Tools 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, performance in relation to state standards. 9, 10). Educators should also document what Accessibility supports should always be universal features (if any) are turned off and chosen based on distinct individual student which designated features and accommodations characteristics to ensure meaningful and are available. This will enable other educators equitable participation in the general curriculum. to make more informed decisions based on Making blanket decisions for groups of longitudinal data. Use or create an after-test students at specific language acquisition levels exit survey (e.g., Tool 7) to collect information or with specific disabilities is not appropriate. on the use of accessibility supports to inform When individualized accessibility decisions are instruction and assessment practices. made thoughtfully, they can advance equitable opportunities for students to participate in the Decision-Making Process general education curriculum. Many factors must be considered when making Students’ needs, characteristics and even decisions about providing accessibility supports. preferences are important criteria to consider Minimally, the following two factors should be when making optimal accessibility decisions. considered: However, other criteria, literacy levels in native 1. Student characteristics (disabilities, language, education received before coming to language proficiency, previously used the U.S. (e.g., evidence of limited or interrupted accessibility supports, student preferences, formal education), time spent in English- etc.). speaking schools, resources available in their 2. Inclusion needs to access state native language, cultural background, etc., may assessments. help educators determine which accessibility a. Knowledge about the type of tasks supports should be used. It is important to required so they can be replicated research all accessibility support options but in classroom instruction and some options may not be allowed on certain assessments. assessments. For example, a glossary may be allowed on a math assessment but prohibited on b. Ways to remove barriers to a student’s an ELP assessment because it has the potential ability to perform those tasks. to alter the construct being tested and therefore If multiple accessibility supports are employed invalidate the results. for a student, educators should be aware of possible unintended consequences. For example, the highlighter might change color if the color contrast is turned on.

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Accessibility Selection Accessibility supports for instruction should Assessment accessibility supports are based be selected based on the individual student’s on instructional supports as well as specific characteristics and student needs (See Figure 4 assessment policies. These work together to below). The selected accessibility supports must allow for a valid measure of what the student be used as planned by the team of educators knows and can do. to allow the student to equitably access content during instruction.

Figure 4. Accessibility Selection

Student Characteristics Valid Measure of What the Student Knows and Can Do

Accessibility Student Supports Needs

• The construct of the material for which the When matching accessibility supports with student will use the accessibility support. students’ characteristics, educators should • Content exposure with varying cognitive consider: complexities and range of difficulty. • The student’s willingness to learn to use the • The opportunity to show mastery (according accessibility support. to the achievement or performance level • Opportunities to learn to use the accessibility descriptors for the assessment). support in classroom settings. Tool 5 is a list of questions that can be used to • Conditions for use on district and state assessments. guide the selection of appropriate accessibility supports for students assigned such supports After considering student characteristics, it for the first time and for students currently is important to examine the inclusion needs using such supports. These questions address during instruction and testing, as well as the student characteristics and inclusion needs that types of tasks students are asked to do in the may influence which accessibility supports to classroom and on state or district assessments. consider for an individual student. When matching accessibility supports with inclusion needs, educators should consider how the support interacts with:

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Involving Students in Selecting, Using Prior Use of Accessibility Supports and Evaluating Accessibility Supports Students are most successful with accessibility It is critical students learn to self-advocate and supports when they have used the supports understand their needs. Informing others of and are comfortable with them prior to the test. their preferences, particularly in the presence Accessibility supports should not be used for of “authority figures,” may be a new task for the first time on a state test.Educators are students. Educators and parents play a key encouraged to implement accessibility supports role in developing self-advocacy in the context during instruction and local assessments before of selecting, using and evaluating accessibility the state assessment is administered. Plan time supports and their combinations by providing for: guidance and feedback. • Students to learn and investigate new accessibility supports. Student involvement in the selection process of their accessibility supports provides • Students to learn how to use and practice embedded and non-embedded accessibility opportunities to learn self-advocacy skills supports. For embedded supports, there and independence. Students need these may be practice or sample items or tutorials opportunities to learn how to make certain the for students to experience prior to test accessibility supports they need are provided, administration. both in and out of school. Even students with significant cognitive disabilities, many of KAP Practice Test Guide for whom do not have sophisticated expressive Educators 10 communication systems, can show teachers DLM Guide to Practice and Released their preferences. For example, when shown two Testlets 11 versions of an accommodated graph, students could gesture to the one they like or understand • Evaluation and improvement of the use of better. It is important to not limit but rather accessibility supports both before and after expand feedback options and self-advocacy the state assessment (Tools 6 and 7). opportunities for students, especially those who cannot communicate preferences in traditional ways.

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Accessibility Supports for Instruction assessments such as providing a translation of and Assessment the test content versus providing a translation of test directions. Accessibility supports, therefore, On some assessments, accessibility supports should be selected in accordance with whether may be presented differently from their variations language proficiency or content area knowledge is used during instruction. Teachers should make being tested. sure students are informed of these differences and provide opportunities to practice the Consideration of longer-term consequences is different accessibility supports prior to the test. important as well. For example, as students begin This is particularly important for students with to make postsecondary choices, the accessibility the most significant cognitive disabilities who supports used may factor into the accessibility may need extra preparation for taking online options that best prepare them for their future. assessments. Educators may want to discuss whether or how this affects decisions about accessibility If the accessibility support is considered a for instruction and assessments. The team necessary step in scaffolding grade-level content (educators, parents, and students) should plan instruction, practicing classroom work without how and when the student will learn to use each the support helps gauge student progress new accessibility support and ensure ample time independent of the support. This provides for practice before an assessment takes place. students with opportunities to practice not They should also plan for the ongoing evaluation using the support before the state assessment. of the student’s use of accessibility features and, If the instructional accessibility support is more if applicable, how and when the student is to permanent in nature and not permitted on a state become independent of the support. or district assessment, the educator team should consider whether the accessibility support alters The following tools provide additional information what the test measures. on this step.

Valid Measure of What the Student Tool 2: Questions to Ask When Selecting Accessibility Supports Knows and Can Do Tool 3: Accessibility Supports from the When selecting accessibility supports for state Student’s Perspective assessments, it is important to understand the accessibility policies that maintain the validity Tool 4: Parent Input on Accessibility Supports of the results of an assessment and to know the consequences of support selection and use Tool 5: Accessibility Selection Questions for Teams decisions. If educators determine that a student should use an allowed accessibility support Tool 6: Accessibility Supports in the Classroom during an assessment but the student refuses to for Teams use the support, the validity of the measurement results about what the student knows and can Tool 7: After-Test Accessibility Questions for Teacher-Student Discussion do may be compromised. For example, educators should also be aware that validity implications are different for ELP assessments than for content

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Step 4: ADMINISTER Accessibility Supports During Instruction and Assessment

Accessibility During Instruction All accessibility decisions should be discussed and documented in alignment with local and Accessibility supports should not be used state policies, including citations for where solely during assessments. Students who need the policies can be found. It is essential for all and benefit from accessibility supports such educators to know and understand how to as universal features, designated features, effectively implement accessibility supports and accommodations should be provided and related technologies, as well as what the the supports during instruction until they requirements and consequences are for district areo n longer needed or beneficial. Tracking and state assessments. Staff administering the use and effectiveness of supports during accessibility supports, such as reading aloud to instruction facilitates both equitable accesses to a student or scribing student responses, must material and transitioning away from a specific adhere to specific guidelines so that student accessibility support (See Tool 7). scores are valid. When providing nonembedded Since many assessments and aspects of supports, providers must review all applicable instruction can now be administered via state test security policies to protect student technology-based platforms, educators must and assessment confidentiality. Prior to the provide ample opportunity for students to day of a test, teachers should ensure that familiarize themselves with both the technology test administrators and proctors know what and the administration process. This includes accessibility supports each student will be taking practice tests using the testing platform using and how to administer them properly. and providing all students with opportunities Student Portal Manual for Test to use technology for learning to help students Administrators 12 become familiar and comfortable with DLM Accessibility Manual 13 technology they will use on test day. In addition to student interaction with technology in instruction, teachers must also be aware of the Ethical Testing Practices range of accessibility supports available for their Ethical testing practices must be maintained students and use these supports appropriately before, during and after the administration and consistently in instruction and assessment. of a test. Unethical testing practices include disclosing or discussing secure information Accessibility During Assessment with others (including colleagues, parents, and students) and inappropriate interactions Once decisions about how to meet individual between test administrators and students taking student needs using instructional accessibility the test. These interactions include, but are supports have been made, the logistics of not limited to, offering additional information, providing the accessibility supports during coaching students during testing, editing assessments (e.g. district and state) must be student responses, suggesting a student review mapped out. It is important to keep in mind an answer, or giving clues in any other way. that the same accessibility supports may not be Educators should refer to a state’s integrity or allowed on every type of assessment (content ethical practices guides and test administration assessments, ELP assessments, alternate manual. assessments). For instance, translation supports may be appropriate on content or alternate KAP Resources and Training - assessments but would invalidate the measured Assessment Resources 5 construct on ELP assessments.

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Standardization Standardization is an essential feature of assessments and is necessary to produce accurate information about student learning. Strict adherence to guidelines detailing instructions and procedures for the administration of accessibility supports is necessary to ensure that test results reflect a comparable measure of knowledge for all students.

Using supports embedded in the testing platform provides better standardization. However, teachers should be in constant communication with assessment coordinators to ensure the assessment is properly programmed and enabled with the appropriate accessibility supports for each student. Test administrators and proctors must carefully adhere to state policies that lay out what to do when selected accessibility supports do not work as intended.

Tools that provide additional information on completing this step:

Tool 6: Accessibility Supports in the Classroom for Teams

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Step 5: EVALE UAT Use of Accessibility Supports in Instruction and Assessment Accessibility supports must be selected Postsecondary Implications based on the individual student’s needs, As students plan for their transition to be used consistently for instruction postsecondary settings, it is important for and assessment, and phased out educators, students and parents to plan which at the appropriate time to promote accessibility supports to continue using and independence. Collecting and analyzing data in what capacities, as well as which to phase on the use and effectiveness of accessibility out. It is important that educators document supports are necessary to ensure the students’ use of accessibility supports so meaningful participation of students in that, if appropriate, students can continue districtwide and statewide assessments. This to use them as needed in their college and data may reveal questionable patterns of the career settings. Colleges and universities use of some accessibility supports and inform traditionally allow fewer accessibility supports decisions about the continued use of those than are available in K-12 settings, so the supports. documentation will help students who Examination of the data may also need to use accessibility supports advocate indicate areas in which teachers and test for themselves. This may also be true for administrators need additional training and students who transition into vocational and support. In addition to collecting information other workplace settings. Students should about the use of accessibility supports be encouraged to research their accessibility within the classroom, information needs needs within the context of each education to be gathered on the implementation of institution or place of employment. accessibility supports during assessment Tools that provide additional information on from test administrators and possibly even completing this step are: the test vendor. Observations conducted during test administration, interviews with test Tool 7: After-test Accessibility Questions for administrators and talking with students after Teacher-Student Discussion testing sessions will likely yield data that can be Tool 8: Questions to Guide Evaluation of used to guide the ongoing evaluation process Use of Accessibility Supports at the at the school, district and student levels. School or District Level

Gathering information on accessibility Tool 9: Questions to Guide Formative supports may be easier in a technology-based Evaluation at the Student Level assessment platform when these supports are programmed into the system. However, just Tool 10: Teacher Evaluation of Classroom because information can be collected does not Accessibility Features and automatically indicate if it should be collected. Accommodations Educators, schools, and districts should decide in advance what questions they want to answer and which accessibility data will be most meaningful (See Tools 7, 8, 9, and 10 for examples).

Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org 19 THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS Endnotes

1 High-Incidence Accommodations, Local Arrangements, and Accessibility Supports on the ACT Test for State Testing and District Testing, TASN (PDF): https://ksdetasn.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/resource/upload/2213/ ACTSandD-HighIncidenceAccom-LocalARR-AccessibilitySupports.pdf

2 NWEA Accessibility and Accommodations Features and FAQ (MAP): https://ksdetasn.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ resource/upload/2472/NWEA-Accessibility-and-Accommodations-External-FAQ_MAP_growth.pdf

3 Print Disabilities: The Consideration for Accommodations, KSDE (PDF): https://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/CSAS/CSAS Home/Assessments/Print Disabilities and the Consideration for Accommodations.pdf?ver=2020-04-30-125608-870

4 Tools and Accommodations for the Kansas Assessment Program, KSDE (webpage): https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Career-Standards-and-Assessment-Services/CSAS-Home/ Assessments

5 KAP website: https://ksassessments.org

6 KELPA website: https://ksassessments.org

7 DLM Kansas Resources webpage: https://dynamiclearningmaps.org/kansas

8 KSDE DLM and Essential Elements webpage: https://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=887

9 KAP Resources and Training - Assessment Resources (webpage): https://ksassessments.org/resources-and-training

10 KAP Practice Test Guide for Educators (PDF): https://ksassessments.org/sites/default/files/documents/Kite/Practice_ Test_Guide_for_Educators.pdf

11 DLM Guide to Practice Activities and Released Testlets: English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science (PDF): https://dynamiclearningmaps.org/sites/default/files/documents/Manuals_Blueprints/Guide_to_Practice_Activities_and_ Released_Testlets.pdf

12 KITE Student Portal Manual for Test Administrators (PDF): https://ksassessments.org/resources-and-training#manuals

13 DLM Accessibility Manual 2021-2022 (PDF): https://dynamiclearningmaps.org/sites/default/files/documents/Manuals_ Blueprints/Accessibility_Manual.pdf

20 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS Tools TOOL 1: Three-Tiered Approach to Accessibility

This tool is a general framework of accessibility supports for the KAP.

TIER 1: TIER 2: TIER 3: Universal Features Designated Features Accommodations For all students For some students IEP | 504 Plan | ILP Calculator Basic or Magnification (2x, 3x, Keyword translation TI-108 Grades 6-8, 10 4x, 5x) display (Spanish) Periodic Table Masking (answer Signing – ASL Calculator TI-Graphing masking, custom Spoken audio – TTS Embedded Grade 10 masking) Text only Calculator TI-Scientific Overlay color Text and Graphics Grades 6-8 Contrast color TTS for ELA passages Search Invert color choice (nonvisual) must be Eraser Audio background approved by KSDE Striker Guideline Tags Highlighter Text-to-Speech (TTS) TTS directions TTS science Help Pointer Mark for review Whole screen magnification Notes Sketch pad Separate, quiet or Sign interpretation individual setting Braille (UEB) Single switches Two-switch system Test administrator enters responses for Non-Embedded student

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TOOL 2: Questions to Ask When Selecting Accessibility Supports

The following questions can be used to guide the initial selection of appropriate accessibility supports and revisiting the usefulness of current supports: Questions Yes No Comments Are accessibility decisions based on individualized student needs (e.g., amount of time in the U.S., English language proficiency, disability needs) rather than what is easiest, what other students are using or providing students with a potential advantage? Do the supports reduce the effect of the disability and/or a language barrier to access content and demonstrate learning? Are the instructional and assessment accommodation(s) documented in the IEP, 504 plan or EL plan, and is it ensured that only documented supports are used? Have universal features been previously tried, if allowable, and have those that are distracting been turned off? Are selected designated features and accommodations based on multiple stakeholders’ input instead of unilateral or blanket decisions? Are decisions about designated features and accommodations made prior to the assessment day to ensure that the various combinations of supports will work effectively? Have specific questions been answered about “Where, When, Who, and How” regarding providing supports to ensure their appropriate use on assessments? Have current state accessibility policies been reviewed and implications of selections understood and not simply indicated to be provided “as appropriate” or “as necessary?” Have supports used by the student been evaluated instead of selecting every support possible on a checklist simply to be “safe” or assume the same supports remain appropriate year after year? Have supports provided for assessments used for classroom instruction to ensure that students practice each support sufficiently and not provided for the first time on the day of a test?

22 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org Tools THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

TOOL 3: Accessibility Supports from the Student’s Perspective

Use this questionnaire to collect information about needed accessibility supports from the student’s perspective. The questions can be completed independently or as part of an interview process. Be certain that the student understands the concept of “accessibility supports” (universal features, designated features and accommodations), and provide examples as necessary. Also, provide a list of possible accessibility supports to give the student a good understanding of the range of supports that may be available.

Student name: Grade: Date:

Educator name: Role:

Activity (e.g., vocabulary, Accessibility Helpfulness Action grammar, reading, Support Used of the Step (Keep, writing, listening, drawing, for Individual Accessibility Remove, homework, subject, recall, or Independent Support Change Reason for Question group work) Activity Yes No support) Action Step What parts of Example: Class discussion Questions translated Yes Keep it. It helps me learning are in history know what other easiest for you? students are talking about.

What is Example: Listening something in class that you do well?

What parts of Example: Organizing Folders No Change to Loses folders learning are colored hardest for notebooks you?

What is Example: Spelling Word prediction Yes Keep It helps me learn something you the words. do in class that is hard?

This questionnaire was adapted from A Student’s Guide to the IEP by the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities.

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TOOL 4: Parent input on Accessibility

About Instruction About Assessments (Tests)

Is the need for each support recorded in my Are the tests my child takes and the supports my child’s IEP, 504 plan, or English language plan? child uses recorded in all planning tools? Who How do all people who work with my child know records this information? which supports to use and when there are changes?

What supports does my child like to use and What are the tests, such as the English language need to perform their grade-level work? proficiency or alternate assessment, my child needs to take? What is the purpose of each test? What is tested and counted?

How can my child and I make sure to be given not What supports are available on state, district, and too many and not too few supports? Is there a other school and class tests? parent group or mentor available?

What supports does my child use at home but How can I support my child at home to be sure does not have in the classroom? that my child can perform on the tests?

How long will my child be given the supports? How can my child take an assessment with or What is the plan to help decide when to stop without certain supports? Why is one support using the supports? allowed on one test and not on another?

How do all the people who work with my child What can happen if changes are allowed to how make supports available throughout the day and my child takes a test? What will changes do to my in different settings? child’s test scores and how they are counted?

What is the type of program support my How do the results of using supports compare child receives in different classes (like math with the different types of tests? intervention, science or English language learning)?

If a support used during instruction is not If a support is given on a test but not used during allowed on a test, how is my child learning to instruction or is not given in the same way (for work without the support before the test? What example, an online calculator compared to a record is there to know if my child was able to hand-held calculator) how will my child practice perform well without the support? using the support?

Adapted from the Minnesota Manual for Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in Instruction and Assessment. Questions are based in part on questions and content from NCLD’s Parent Advocacy Brief, NCLB: Determining Appropriate Assessment Accommodations for Students with Disabilities, and Testing Students with Disabilities: Practical Strategies for Complying with District and State Requirements, 2nd ed. (2003) by Martha Thurlow, Judy Elliott, and James Ysseldyke.

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TOOL 5: Accessibility Selection Questions for Teams

Teams can use the following questions to guide the initial selection of appropriate accessibility supports and for revisiting supports students are currently using:

Questions Comments

1. What are the student’s language learning strengths and areas of further improvement (applicable to all students, not just ELs)?

2. How do the student’s learning needs affect the achievement of grade-level standards?

3. What specialized instruction (e.g., learning strategies, organizational skills, reading skills) does the student need to achieve grade-level standards?

4. What accessibility supports will increase the student’s access to instruction and assessment by addressing the student’s learning needs?

5. What accessibility supports are regularly used by the student during instruction, assessments, and at home?

6. How do the results compare for assignments and assessments when accessibility supports are used and not used?

7. What supports are used at home to complete homework?

8. What difficulties does the student experience when using accessibility supports?

9. What are the perceptions of the student, parents, teachers and other specialists of how well the accessibility support “worked”?

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Questions Comments

10. Should the student continue to use an accessibility support, are changes needed or should the use of the accessibility support be discontinued?

11. When matching accessibility supports with students’ characteristics, have educators ensured the following: • The student’s willingness to learn to use the accessibility support. • Opportunities to learn to use the accessibility support in classroom settings. • Conditions for use on state assessments.

12. What are the characteristics of the test? Consider grade-level content standards, cognitive complexity (look at the test blueprint), proficiency level, performance level descriptors, etc.

13. Are the test tasks similar to classroom assessment tasks? Do classroom tasks expose the student to the same cognitive complexities, level of mastery (based on achievement or performance level descriptors) and range of difficulty for each content standard as the test?

14. Is there ample opportunity to practice similar tasks prior to testing?

15. Does the student use an accessibility support for a classroom task that is allowed on the district or state tests?

16. Does the student use an accessibility support in the classroom that could compromise the construct being assessed?

17. Are there other barriers that could be removed by using an accessibility support that is different from what is already offered or in use (e.g., scheduling accommodation or universal feature)?

26 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org Tools THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

TOOL 6: Accessibility Supports in the Classroom Questions for Teams

Use this chart to track different aspects of how a student uses accessibility supports (universal features, designated features, and accommodations) in each classroom setting. This will help inform consistent decision-making on accessibility supports.

Student name: Grade: Date:

Disability: Languages:

Accessibility support: Each team member answers questions about the implementation of the accessibility support the student uses in their class. Accessibility Support: Team Members (e.g., teacher, parent, specialist, paraprofessional) Question Special Ed. Teacher Content 1. Is it noted in student’s planning tool (PNP) and/or EL, IEP or 504 plan?

2. For what types of task(s) is it used?

3. Does the student use it for that task every time? Note how often.

4. Does the student use it alone or with assistance? (e.g., aide, peers?)

5. If more than one support is available, how do these supports interact? For example, does one accessibility support seem more effective when used with another on a task?

6. If the accessibility support is presented differently on the test (e.g., an online calculator), how can you give the student opportunities to practice using it?

7. Does the student’s individualized plan (e.g., EL, IEP, 504) need to be updated?

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TOOL 7: After-test Accessibility Questions for Teacher- Student Discussion

Use this form after a test to interview a student about the accessibility supports (universal features, designated features, and accommodations) provided, used, whether they were useful and whether they should be used again. Also note any adjustments or difficulties experienced by the student in either how the accessibility support was administered or in using the accessibility support during the assessment. Some students may do this independently, or filling out this form could be facilitated through a discussion between a teacher and a student.

Student name: Assessment: Date:

Accessibility supports used:

Supports Available (list) 1. 2. 3. 4. Questions

Was the Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No accessibility support Why? Why? Why? Why? used?

Was the Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No accessibility support Why? Why? Why? Why? useful?

Were Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No there any difficulties Why? Why? Why? Why? with the accessibility support (are adjustments needed)?

Should the Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No accessibility support be Why? Why? Why? Why? used again?

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TOOL 8: Questions to Guide Evaluation of the Use of Accessibility Supports at the School or District Level

Accessibility information can be analyzed in different ways. Use these questions to guide data analysis at the teacher team, school and district levels:

1. Were current policies reviewed to ensure ethical testing practices, the standardized administration of assessments, and adherence to test security practices before, during and after the day of the test? Was a formal professional development training on accessibility supports conducted for educators?

2. Are students receiving accessibility supports as documented in their planning tools (e.g., PNP) or IEP, 504, and EL plans?

3. How many students are receiving certain accessibility supports?

4. What types of accessibility supports are provided and are some used more than others?

5. How well do students who receive certain accessibility supports perform on state and local assessments? If students are not meeting the expected level of performance, is it because the student not having had access to the necessary instruction, not receiving the accessibility support or using ineffective supports?

6. What procedures need to be in place to ensure test administrators adhere to directions for the administration of assessment accessibility supports (universal features, designated features and accommodations)?

7. In what ways can you use assessment data and accessibility data to ensure appropriate accessibility supports are being used?

8. What does the accessibility supports data indicate about provision of accessibility supports to students?

9. In what ways are you collecting and reviewing accessibility data on the use of accessibility supports?

10. In what ways are you currently evaluating the methods of students receiving accessibility supports? How can you improve these methods?

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TOOL 9: Questions to Guide Formative Evaluation at the Student Level

Use these questions to evaluate the effectiveness of individualized accessibility supports provided during instruction and/or assessment at the student level, inform the team decision-making process and identify needed changes in the accessibility supports.

1. What accessibility supports are used by the student during instruction and assessments?

2. What are the results of classroom assignments and assessments when accessibility supports are used versus when they are not used?

If a student did not meet the expected level of performance, is it because of not having access to the necessary instruction, not receiving the accessibility supports or using accessibility supports that were ineffective?

3. What is the student’s perception of how well the accessibility support worked?

4. What combinations of accessibility supports seem to be effective?

5. What are the difficulties encountered in the use of accessibility supports?

6. What are the perceptions of teachers and others about how the accessibility support appears to be working?

7. How have the characteristics of the student changed over time to warrant a plan or accessibility support change?

School- and district-level questions can be addressed by a committee responsible for continuous improvement efforts, while the student- level questions need to be considered by educators working directly with the student. It is critical to stress that formative evaluation is not the responsibility of just one individual. Teams of educators should contribute to the information gathering and decision-making processes.

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TOOL 10: Team Evaluation of Classroom Accessibility Features and Accommodations

SUPPORT RATING BY TEAM MEMBERS Accessibility Student Support Parent Special Ed EL Classroom Specialist Assistant Not Not Not Not Not Not effective effective effective effective effective effective Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat effective effective effective effective effective effective Very Very Very Very Very Very effective effective effective effective effective effective Not Not Not Not Not Not effective effective effective effective effective effective Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat effective effective effective effective effective effective Very Very Very Very Very Very effective effective effective effective effective effective Not Not Not Not Not Not effective effective effective effective effective effective Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat effective effective effective effective effective effective Very Very Very Very Very Very effective effective effective effective effective effective Not Not Not Not Not Not effective effective effective effective effective effective Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat Somewhat effective effective effective effective effective effective Very Very Very Very Very Very effective effective effective effective effective effective

How effective was the accessibility supports for a class activity, assignment and test?

Which accessibility supports did the student use, prefer or decline to use? Why?

What changes, if any, need to be made to improve the effectiveness of the accessibility supports?

Other Comments:

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TOOL 11: Five-Step Decision-Making Process

1. EXPECT: How are educators ensuring that the expectation of the student is to achieve mastery of grade-level standards? 5. EVALUATE: Which supports ______will stay the same ______and which should change for next ______time?

______2. LEARN: How did educators learn about ______new and existing ______accessibility supports?

______

4. ADMINISTER: How effective was the administration and use of the selected supports during … 3. SELECT: Which accessibility supports were INSTRUCTION? selected for … INSTRUCTION? ______ASSESSMENT? ______ASSESSMENT? ______

32 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS Appendices

APPENDIX A: Federal Laws______36

APPENDIX C: Glossary of Terms and Acronyms ��43

Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org 33 Appendices THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

APPENDIX A: Federal Laws

Documenting Accessibility Documenting Accessibility Supports Under the Individuals Supports on a Student’s 504 with Disabilities Education Act Plan (IDEA) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 3 requires public schools to provide certain The Present Levels of Academic Achievement accessibility supports to students with disabilities and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) is a federal even if they do not qualify for special education requirement in which collaborative team members services under IDEA. All IDEA students are also must state “how the child’s disability affects the child’s covered by Section 504, but not all Section 504 involvement and progress in the general education students are eligible for services under IDEA. curriculum—the same curriculum as non-disabled Section 504 states: children” [Sec. 614 (d) (1) (A) (i) (I)].1 Depending on the design and overall format of a typical IEP, there No otherwise qualified individual with a disability are potentially three areas in which accessibility in the United States shall, solely by reason of her supports can be addressed: or his disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected 1. “Consideration of Special Factors” [Sec. 614 to discrimination under any program or activity (d) (3) (B)].1 This is where communication receiving federal financial assistance. 29[ U.S.C. and assistive technology supports are Sec. 794] 3 considered. Examples of students who may receive designated 2. “Supplementary Aids and Services” [Sec. 602 features or accommodations based on their 504 (33) and Sec. 614 (d) (1) (A) (i)].1 This area accommodation plan include students with: of the IEP includes “aids, services, and other • Allergies or asthma. supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings to • Attention difficulties. enable children with disabilities to be educated • Communicable diseases (e.g.., Hepatitis). with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate.” • Drug or alcoholic addictions, but not currently using illegal drugs. 3. “Participation in Assessments” [Sec. 612 (a) • Temporary disabilities from accidents. (16)].1 This section of the IEP documents accommodations needed to facilitate the participation of students with disabilities in general state and district-wide assessments.

Documenting Frequency, Location, and Duration of Accommodations and Modifications on the IEP during the 2020-21 school year (PDF) 2

34 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org Appendices THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

Federal Laws and Federal Guidance on student participation essA IDEA The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)4 was issued IDEA5 specifically governs services provided to on December 10, 2015. It reauthorizes the 50-year- students with disabilities. Accountability at the old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), individual level is provided through IEPs developed the national education law and commitment to on the basis of each child’s unique needs. IDEA equal opportunity for all students. The bill mandates requires the participation of students with disabilities annual reporting of disaggregated data of groups in statewide and districtwide assessments. Specific of students, generating information about whether IDEA requirements include: all students are achieving and whether schools Children with disabilities are included in general are meeting the needs of low-income students, state and districtwide assessment programs, with students of color, students with disabilities, and appropriate accommodations, where necessary [Sec. English learners. Specific ESSA requirements include 612 (a) (16) (A)]. The term “individualized education provisions for: program” or “IEP” means a written statement for each (I) The participation in such assessments of all child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, students. and revised in accordance with this section and that includes a statement of any individual modifications (II) The appropriate accommodations, such as in the administration of state or districtwide interoperability with, and ability to use, assistive assessments of student achievement that are technology, for children with disabilities (as needed in order for the child to participate in such defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with assessment; and if the IEP Team determines that Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401(3))), the child will not participate in a particular state or including students with the most significant district-wide assessment of student achievement (or cognitive disabilities, and students with a part of such an assessment), a statement of why that disability who are provided accommodations assessment is not appropriate for the child; and how under an act other than the Individuals with the child will be assessed [Sec. 614 (d) (1) (A) (V) and Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et VI)]. seq.), necessary to measure the academic achievement of such children relative to the For the small group of students with significant challenging State academic standards or cognitive disabilities who are also English learners, alternate academic achievement standards these assessments will be an important tool to described in paragraph (1)(E). measure their progress in learning English. (III) The inclusion of English learners, who shall be IDEA, 34 CFR §§300.160(b)(2)(i) and (ii) assessed in a valid and reliable manner and (2) The state’s (or, in the case of a districtwide provided appropriate accommodations on assessment, the LEA’s) guidelines must: assessments administered to such students under this paragraph, including, to the extent (i) Identify only those accommodations for practicable, assessments in the language and each assessment that do not invalidate the form most likely to yield accurate data on what score. such students know and can do in academic (ii) Instruct IEP teams to select, for each content areas, until such students have achieved assessment, only those accommodations English language proficiency. that do not invalidate the score.

Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org 35 Appendices THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Questions and Answers Regarding Act and the Americans with Inclusion of English Learners with Disabilities Act Disabilities in English Language Section 5043 provides individuals with disabilities Proficiency Assessments and Title with certain rights and protects individuals with III Annual Measurable Achievement disabilities against discrimination in federally funded Objectives programs and activities. Section 504 states: No This joint guidance document developed by the otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education United States, as defined in section 705(20) of this (OESE) and the Office of Special Education and title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) was released on be excluded from the participation in, be denied the July 18, 2014, to help states and local educational benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any agencies understand how Part B of the IDEA and program or activity receiving federal financial assistance Titles I and III of the ESEA address the inclusion of or under any program or activity conducted by any ELs with disabilities in annual state ELP assessments. executive agency … In school settings, 504 legislation guarantees and protects students with disabilities who Retrieved Oct. 6, 2020, from www2.ed.gov/policy/ may not otherwise have an IEP, but are still considered speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/q-and-a-on-elp- an individual with disabilities. The definition of a student swd.doc with disabilities is much broader under 504 than it The 2014 guidance was amended by the July 2015 is under IDEA. An important part of the 504 plans Addendum. The two documents address states’ developed by schools for students with disabilities is general obligations around including ELs with often the lists of accommodations that the student can disabilities in ELP assessments, responsibilities use on assessments. of IEP teams, accommodations and alternate Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 assessments, exit from EL status, annual measurable (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities achievement objectives, initial identification and Act (ADA) ensure a level playing field for students other considerations. with disabilities in a wide range of settings, including Retrieved Oct. 6, 2020, from www2.ed.gov/ testing, and, similarly to IDEA, provide for reasonable programs/sfgp/elswdfaq8032015.doc testing accommodations to be given to students with disabilities as outlined/as needed. Title III of the ADA Dear Colleague Letter on FAPE/IEP requires equal access and participation. The IEP/504 Alignment team is charged with making accommodations decisions for all IDEA/504 eligible students every Issued on Nov. 16, 2015, by the U.S. Department of year, as part of the annual IEP/504 process. Education (the Office of Special and Rehabilitative Services), this document addresses the entitlement Parent and Educator Resource Guide to of each eligible child with a disability to a free Section 504 in Public Elementary and appropriate public education (FAPE) aligned with the Secondary Schools6 child’s individualized education program (IEP). 7 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Retrieved Oct. 6, 2020, from https://sites. Section 504 of the Rehabiliation Act of ed.gov/idea/idea-files/osep-dear-colleague- 1973: Prohibiting Discrimination Against letter-on-free-and-appropriate-public- Individuals with Disabilities in Programs or education-fape/ Activities Receiving Federal Assistance8 Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements: Testing Accommodations Issued in September 2015 by the Department of Justice, this is the department’s response to questions and complaints about excessive and burdensome documentation demands, failures to provide needed accommodations and failures to respond to requests for testing accommodations in a timely manner. 36 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org Appendices THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

The guidance applies to testing entities (private, state, local) that have exams related to applications, licensing, certification or credentialing for secondary, postsecondary, professional or trade purposes.

Retrieved Oct. 6, 2020, from http://www.ada. gov/regs2014/testing_accommodations.html.

English Learner Tool Kit This document was jointly developed by the Department of Education and Department of Justice and issued in September 2015 to help state and local education agencies help ELs by fulfilling the obligations in the Dear Colleague Letter of Jan. 7, 2015. The toolkit includes 10 chapters, one for each of the “common civil rights issues” discussed in the Jan. 7, 2015, Dear Colleague Letter. Retrieved Oct. 6, 2020, from https://www2.ed.gov/ about/offices/list/oela/english-learner-toolkit/ index.html

Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org 37 Appendices THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

APPENDIX B: Glossary of Terms and Acronyms The following list contains terms and acronyms along with their definitions found throughout this document.

504 Plan: Sometimes called a 504 accommodation DLM: Dynamic Learning Maps is the alternate plan, comes from section 504 of the Rehabilitation assessment used in Kansas for students with a most Act of 1973 requiring public schools to provide significant cognitive disability. certain accessibility supports to students with disabilities even if they do not qualify for special EL(s): English Learner(s) are students whose native education services under IDEA. language is not English and who do not yet possess sufficient English language proficiency to fully access Accessibility: The reduction or elimination of curriculum that is in English. barriers that prevent students from demonstrating what they know and can do. ELP: English language proficiency

Accessibility supports: Supports do not reduce ELs with disabilities: Students whose native or change learning expectations but rather meet language is not English, who do not yet possess specific needs of students and enable a student’s sufficient English language proficiency to fully access work to be a valid measure of what the student content that is in English, and who have disabilities knows and can do. served by IDEA or Section 504.

Accommodations: Changes in procedures Embedded feature: A feature that is part of the or materials that ensure equitable access to technology delivery of the instruction or assessment. instructional and assessment content and generate valid assessment results for students who need General education students: Students who them. They do not reduce expectations for learning. do not have an identified disability or EL status. Although students with disabilities, ELs and ELs with Alternate assessment: A test designed for students disabilities are also general education students, with the most significant cognitive disabilities with within this document this term is a simple way to a reduced depth and breadth from the general refer to students who do not have a disability, are assessment. not identified as an EL or who are not identified as an EL with a disability. Assessment: An evaluation or test of what a person knows and can do in regard to a specific content IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act area or used to estimate a specific quality about a person. IEP: Individualized Education Program - A federally required document for any student with a disability Construct: A construct is a hypothesized, non- that outlines the resources and services a student material, cause of an observable behavior. It is not needs in order to access the curriculum. a physical thing that has length, mass, depth, etc., : Individualized Learning Plan All ELs will have an that can be directly measured. For example, grade ILP Individual Learning Plan (ILP). This plan documents 3 math knowledge is the hypothetical cause for a how the student scored on the proficiency student answering grade 3 math questions correctly. assessment and lays out steps for ensuring the Content: The material covered in class (e.g., math, student is making progress throughout the year in reading, art, etc.). attaining English proficiency

Designated feature: Features that are available for KAP: Kansas Assessment Program use by any student for whom the need has been indicated by an educator (or team of educators KELPA: Kansas English Language Proficiency including the parents/guardians and the student Assessment when appropriate) who is familiar with the student’s Modifications: Changes in practices or materials characteristics and needs. that lower or reduce state-required learning expectations.

38 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org Appendices THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS

Non-embedded feature: A support that is provided categories such as deaf-blindness. Students with locally and not through the technology delivery of most significant cognitive disabilities participate the instruction or assessment. in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). PLAAFP: Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance; a federal requirement Standardized: The uniform administration in which collaborative team members must state procedures and conditions during an event such as “how the child’s disability affects the child’s involvement an assessment to produce comparable information and progress in the general education curriculum - the about student learning. same curriculum as nondisabled children” [Sec. 614 (d) (1) (A) (i) (I)]. Standards: Educational targets outlining what all students are expected to master at each grade level. PNP: Personal Needs Profile - A generic term used to reference documented accessibility needs for any Students with disabilities: Students who are student. eligible to receive services identified through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Significant cognitive disabilities: Students with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. significant cognitive disabilities cannot be identified by looking at disability categorical labels that Universal design: Policies and practices that were identified by the Individuals with Disabilities are intended to improve access to learning and Education Act (IDEA). Generally, the primary disability assessments for all students and reduce the need categories of many students with significant for accommodations. cognitive disabilities are intellectual disabilities, Universal feature: Accessibility supports that are autism and multiple disabilities. Not all students in available to all students as they access instructional any of these categories have significant cognitive or assessment content. disabilities. Additionally, some students with the most significant cognitive disabilities are in other

Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org 39 Appendices THE KANSAS ACCESSIBILITY MANUAL: HOW TO SELECT, ADMINISTER AND EVALUATE USE OF ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORTS FOR INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF ALL STUDENTS Endnotes

1 IDEA (PDF): https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/idea.pdf

2 Documenting Frequency, Location, and Duration of Accommodations and Modifications on the IEP during the 2020-21 school year (PDF): https://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/ECSETS/Announcements/COVID-DocumentingFreqLocDur.pdf

3 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (webpage): https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC- prelim-title29-section794&num=0&edition=prelim

4 ESSA (PDF): https://www.congress.gov/114/crpt/hrpt354/CRPT-114hrpt354.pdf

5 IDEA (PDF): https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/idea.pdf

6 Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools, USDE (PDF): https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-resource-guide-201612.pdf

7 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (PDF): https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/rehab/rehabilitation-act-of-1973-amended-by- wioa.pdf

8 Section 504 of the Rehabiliation Act of 1973: Prohibiting Discrimination Against Individuals with Disabilities in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance, Congressional Research Service (PDF): https://www.llsdc.org/ assets/sourcebook/crs-rl34041.pdf

40 Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org

For more information, contact: Kansas State Department of Education 900 S.W. Jackson Street, Suite 102 Special Education and Title Programs Topeka, Kansas 66612-1212 (785) 291-3097 (800) 203-9462 www.ksde.org [email protected]